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E. L. SLOGUM.

FIRE ALARM APPARATUS.

No. 351,075. Patented Oct. 19, 1886.

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FIRE ALARM APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 19, 1886.

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FIRE ALARM APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 19, 1886. g

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UNITED STATES EASON L. SLOOUM, OF PAYVTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND.

FIRE-ALARM APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,075, dated October19, 1886.

Application filed November 18, 1885. Serial No. 183,160. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Essen L. SLocUn, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State ofRhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFireAlarm Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to lll'lPlOVClllQlllS in fire-alarm apparatus,saidimprovements being more particularly adapted to be combined with theGamewell system; and it consists, essentially, in the combination, withthe detent lever and wheel thereof, of one or more electro magnetsarranged within the box, and connected electrically with the(letent-lever, whereby an electric current passing through the magnetswithdraws said lever from its notched wheel, thereby causing theclock-train to actuate the striking mechanism and give an alarm, all aswill be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The object of my present invention is to pro vide fire-alarm boxes withsimple and eflicient meanswhereby an alarm or signal may be givenindependently of the usual operating hook or lever, which latter can bemanipulated only at the box and after the door thereof is opened.

WVith the aid of my invention the mechanism is set in motion by means ofan electric current passing through one or more magnets, whose armatureis connected with the detentlever, the current being produced by meansof a battery or other suitable generator conveniently arranged withreference to the box, the battery in turn being connected with one or anumber of sub-stations to form a local firc alarm district. It isobvious that a person at any one of said sub-stations by simply pressingthe button thereof closes the electric circuit, thus charging themagnets and attracting the armature connected with the detent-lever, thelatter thereby being withdrawn from the notched wheel and permitting thespring or clock train to operate the striking mechanism, located in asignal-tower, as usual.

In order to illustrate my improvements, I have prepared the accompanyingthree sheets of drawings, in which- Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents afrontview of a Gamewell firealarm box, with its two doors removed, showingthe detent-lever connected with electro-magnets by means of compoundlevers adapted to vertically lift the formernamed lever from its notchedwheel. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a partial front view of the same, showing thedetent-lever and electro-magnets connected by means of a single lever orarm, to which the armature is attached. Fi 3 is a similar view showingthe electro-nragnets located above the detent-lever, the armature inthis case being directly connected with or attached to the said lever.Fig. 4 is a partial transverse sectional view of the lever anddet'ent-whecl, enlarged, showing a roll mounted on the end of thearmature-lever bearing against the under side of a lug extending infront and forming a part of the detent lever corresponding to Figs. 1and 2. Fi 5, Sheet 3, is a vertical sectional view, showing a batteryand sub stations, electrically connected with the magnets for thepurpose of releasing the detcnt-lever from its notch; and Fi 6represents a plan View, reduced, of a portion of a general firedistrict, showing an arrangement of substations to form local fire,-alarni districts, in which a Gainewell fire-alarm box constitutes thecenter thereof.

The following is a more detailed description of the invention, includingthe manner of its construction and operation.

R, again referring to the drawings, designates the fire-alarm box of theGamewell type as a whole, mounted on a pole or other suitable support,and electrically connected with a hell or signal tower, as usual. A isthe in nor chamber of said box, within which the operating mechanism isarranged, the latter comprising the clock-train H, or other suitablespring-actuated gearing, the detent-lever E, pivoted to the frame a, andhaving a lug, i, which engages a notch formed in the rim n of the wheelK. The free end 6 of said lever is adapted to engage the armature of themagnets a when the former is disengaged from the wheel, said parts 6"and a when thus connected serving as a cut-out to prevent the alarm thenbeing given from the box to be electric- ICO . adapted to engage the end6 of the lever E,

'the front of the detent-lever E,

ally communicated to any other alarm box included in the generaldistrict.

F is a hook or lever extending through the inner door, (in frontthereof,) and pivoted to the frame a, the rear end of the hook beingbefore described, and release the latter from the wheel K, when theprojecting portion of the hook is depressed.

All the foregoing-indicated elements being substantially embodied in theGamewell patents, therefore a further description thereof is not deemedessential to this specification.

The following relates more particularly tothe improvements forming thepresent invention.

B B indicate electro magnets of ordinary construction, secured withinthe chamber A, Fig. 1.

O designates alever pivoted at c to the back of the box, the lower endof said lever having apiece of soft iron, 0, secured thereto, whichforms the armature forthe magnets.

O is a lever pivoted at c to the frame a, said lever at its upper endbeing provided with an anti friction roller, 0 which bears against theunder side of a projection, 13, formed on (see Fig; 4,) the opposite orlower end of said lever C being connected to the upper end/of the leverO by means of the short link d, the two when thus united forming acompound lever.

m is a stop, which serves to limit the movement of the levers, whileaspring, m, at the same time retains the parts in the normal position, asclearly shown in said Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2 a simple lever, 0 is represented, the same being pivoted tothe frame a at c. The inner or short arm thereof is provided with aroll, 0 an armature, 0, being secured to the long arm of the lever andfurther pro vided with a stop, m, and spring m, as before described.

In lieu of the armature-carrying levers G 0 Ihave shown in Fig. 3 thearmature as attached to the detent-lever E by means of a rod, 0, themagnets B therefor being mounted in a small chamber, B, at the top ofthe box R.

I do not claim herewith the modification just described, as the samewill form the subjectof another application for Letters Patent to befiled by me in the United 1 States Patent Office. I

V, Fig. 5, indicates an electric battery or generator of electricity,which connects with the magnets B by means of, conductingwires t. wdesignates sub-stations, or push-buttons, conveniently located as shown,each being connected with the battery and forming an elec-' tric circuitwhen the button is pressed upon, as is well known to an electrician.

By means of this device each fire-alarm box R is adapted to form thecenter of a local and independent fire district, within which any numberof sub stations w may be included and connected, from each of which asignal may be given. The several boxes, R, in turn may be still furtherelectrically connected to form a general or municipal fire districthaving bell-towers, 850., as usual.

The operation of withdrawing the lever E from the notched rim of thedetent-wheel K by means of the invention claimed herewith is as follows:Assuming, first, that the box or'station It is electrically connectedwith the signal 1 or bell tower, and also that one or moreelectro-magnets, B, are mountedwithin said box, and connected with abattery, V, and sub-sla tions to, substantially as shown andhereinbefore described. Now, in order to give an alarm a person pressesthe button of a substation, thereby instantly closing the local circuitand charging the magnets B. The attractive force thereof, acting now onthe armature 0, causes the latter, with its attached lever, to vibrateslightly, which, by means of its connections or levers, withdraws thedetent-lever E from the spring-actuated wheel K and allows it (thewheel) to make one revolution, which movement is communicated to thesignal-wheel H The spurs thereof at the same time coming successively incontact with the electrically-connected plate It opens the main circuit,(the intervals or spaces of the wheel H closing the circuit,) therebysounding a general alarm from the bell-tower, as common to this system.'Meanwhile, the finger is removed from the button w, thus opening thelocal circuit and demagnetizing the magnets B, the lever G, 850., thenresuming its normal position by means of the spring m, as indicated inthe several figures. Upon the completion of the revolution of the WheelK the lever E again engages the notch of the rim n, assisted by thespring 6', thevwhole now being again in position to send out anotheralarm.

It is evident that the device hereinafter claimed in no wise prevents analarm being sent out by a person at the box R, as usual.

My improvement is adapted to be combined with any fire-alarm box havinga detent-lever adapted to interlock with the operating mechanism.Therefore I donot restrict myself to the particular form and arrangementof the box and its striking mechanism as represented in the drawings. Iwould not be understood, however, as claiming, broadly, as my invention,a fire-alarm box provided with means for releasing the detent-lever fromthe detent- Wheel through the agency of one or more electro-magnetslocated in the box and adapted to be operated from a distance to sendout an alarm.

IIO

Having thus described my invention, what I I secure by United thereof,of one or more electro-rnagnets, B,

mounted within said box, connected with one or more local electriccircuits, and a pivoted arm or lever having one end engaging saiddetent-lever, and the other end ofthe pivoted lever provided with anarmature engaging said electro-magnets B while an alarm is being turnedin through the agency of said local 5 electric circuits, substantiallyas described, and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination, with a fire-alarm boX apparatus adapted to beoperated by hand, of an electro-magnet connected with a suitable :0battery or generator, an arm or lever, 0, carrying the armature of saidmagnet, and means consisting of the pivoted supplemental or compoundlever c, and the link (1, for connecting said arm with the detent-leverofthe fire-alarm 15 mechanism, for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

EASON L. SLOGUM.

\Vitnesses:

WM. R. DUTEMPLE, GEO. H. REMINGTON.

